Rookie's big test

Bangladesh's 16-year-old reserve wicketkeeper looks set to make his Test debut at Lord's on Thursday - as a specialist batsman.

Mushfiqur Rahim forced himself into the reckoning by scoring 63 during his country's hammering by Sussex a week ago and then strode almost to the front of the queue with yesterday's unbeaten 115 against Northants.

Never mind England, Rahim is new to Bangladesh coach Dav Whatmore, who had not seen the teenager play before this tour. "Hopefully it will give the England bowlers something to think about in the next few days," said Whatmore.

The coach will not yet confirm Rahim's place in the Test team but he said: "When players are that impressive it seems hard and very unfair to leave them out. His potential is massive."

England, meanwhile, continue to have doubts over Ashley Giles's fitness for Lord's. The left-arm spinner is still troubled by a hip injury and the selectors are likely to summon Gareth Batty if their senior slow bowler fails to improve.